Department for Transport

Electric Scooters: Accidents

baroness clark of calton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that people, including pedestrians, are protected from the risk of negligent injury and death caused by users of hired e-scooters in the e-scooter rental trials; and whether any such plans include (1) requiring compulsory insurance by users of hired e-scooters; (2) establishing a Government-funded compensation scheme for those without access to insurance; and (3) ensuring that victims have such protection for the full duration of the trial period.

baroness vere of norbiton: E-scooters used in trials will be subject to the same requirements as other motor vehicles and require a minimum of third party motor insurance. The trials are only for rental e-scooters and insurance will be provided by the rental operator, not the individual user. Trials will only be authorised where these insurance requirements are met.

Electric Scooters

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why privately owned e-scooters have not been included in the trial of legalising selected rental e-scooters.

baroness vere of norbiton: E-scooter trials will include only rental scooters. This allows trials to take place in a controlled manner while we assess their safety and other impacts. There are a wide range of e-scooters available, built to differing standards. Limiting trials to rental scooters ensures that only approved scooters are used, and that they can meet legal requirements. It will also improve the quality of the evidence we gather, that will inform whether e-scooters should be fully legalised.

Aviation: Coronavirus

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the data from Public Health England showing that there have been 30 cases of people arriving from Pakistan with COVID-19 since 4 June, what plans they have to ban flights from that country.

baroness vere of norbiton: Transport operators across all modes are required to increase communication about latest public health advice to passengers travelling into the UK. This is required throughout their journey by providing links to the advice through websites, as part of the booking process, emails post-booking and with documentation issued immediately before travel.International transport operators must provide on-board announcements to all passengers about public health guidance.The General Aircraft Declaration (GAD) process is required for all flights coming to the UK requiring crew to identify symptomatic passengers before arrival, with a similar process being implemented for maritime and international rail. As part of the borders package, Regulations came into force on 8 June that require people arriving in the UK from Pakistan to self-isolate for 14 days. At present there are currently no Pakistan International Airway flights operating to the UK as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has currently suspended its Third Country Operator approval for PIA to fly into Europe. The UK CAA has therefore withdrawn the permit for PIA flights to operate to the UK as legally required. There are no other airlines currently operating direct flights from Pakistan to the UK.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

UK Trade with EU

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter sent by the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets to the House of Lords EU Internal Market Sub-Committee on 15 May which stated that the “UK’s position on subsidies for the trade agreement negotiations with the EU … does not necessarily require a domestic regulator”, whether they could provide state aid or subsidies to any UK company without any independent UK scrutiny or enforcement; and if so, what assessment they have made of the impact on the wider UK business sector of any uncertainty about the rules and criteria used to decide which companies can receive such support.

lord callanan: The Government has been clear that, after the end of the transition period, the UK will have its own domestic subsidy control regime. This will not align with EU State Aid rules. Work is ongoing to devise a modern system for supporting British business in a way that fulfils our interests. As part of this, consideration will be given on how to ensure compliance with the new regime. There are a number of possible options , of which an independent regulator is one. We will discuss these options with key stakeholders in due course.. However, as the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets has previously set out, the UK’s position on subsidies for the trade agreement negotiations with the EU does not necessarily require a domestic regulator (as demonstrated by other countries, like Canada, that do not maintain a domestic subsidy control regulator to fulfil their trade agreement obligations with the EU). The Government recognises the importance of providing clarity to businesses. In advance of the introducing the domestic subsidy control regime, we will be seeking the views of business on the best approach to ensure we continue to have fair and open competition across the UK.

Satellites

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the collapse of OneWeb in March; and, further to reports that they are considering investing in that company, why they are considering such an investment.

lord callanan: On July 3rd, 2020, the Government announced it had led a successful bid to acquire OneWeb, who develop cutting-edge satellite technology in the UK and in the United States. The move signals the government’s ambition for the UK to be a pioneer in the research, development, manufacturing, and exploitation of novel satellite technologies through the ownership of a fleet of Low Earth orbit satellites. As part of developing our bid and making the acquisition, the UK Government undertook appropriate due diligence.The deal will support the UK to be a pioneer in the research, development, manufacturing, and exploitation of novel satellite technologies, whilst boosting UK manufacturing. It will also allow the UK to explore other potential strategic opportunities, working with our international allies.

Hospitality Industry: Coronavirus

lord lennie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) personal confidentiality agreements, and (2) non-disclosure agreements, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has signed with stakeholders advising the COVID-19 roadmap taskforce on pubs and restaurants.

lord callanan: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not required personal confidentiality agreements or non-disclosure agreements with stakeholders involved in the pubs and restaurants taskforce.

Retail Trade: Coronavirus

lord lennie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) personal confidentiality agreements, and (2) non-disclosure agreements, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has signed with stakeholders advising the COVID-19 roadmap taskforce on non-essential retail.

lord callanan: No personal confidentiality agreements or non-disclosure agreement have been signed with stakeholders advising the COVID-19 roadmap taskforce on non-essential retail.

Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what sanctions employers face if they breach the guidance set out inWorking safely during coronavirus (COVID-19), published on 11 June, in relationto (1) people with caring responsibilities, and (2) new and expectant mothers.

lord callanan: The Government first published the safer workplaces guidance on 11 May setting out businesses can reopen safely. This guidance forms part of employers’ normal health and safety practice. Health and safety legislation is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive and by local authorities.This guidance does not change employers’ responsibilities towards new or expectant mothers. Workers who are pregnant are part of the “clinically vulnerable” group who are at higher risk of coronavirus. If clinically vulnerable individuals, such as those who are pregnant, cannot work from home, they should be offered the safest available on-site roles. Employers need to assess whether this involves an acceptable level of risk. As part of this they should take into account their specific duties towards those with protected characteristics, including new or expectant mothers – who are ultimately entitled to suspension on full pay if a suitable role cannot be found. If the enforcing authority finds that an employer is not taking action to properly manage workplace risk, a range of actions are open to them including specific advice or issuing enforcement notices. Employers should consult with unions and employees when carrying out their risk assessment. If employees continue to have concerns, they can raise them with their employer, any union safety representatives, or ultimately with the enforcing organisation - the Health and Safety Executive or their local authority. Depending on the business, HSE and local authorities enforce health and safety in these workplaces and will monitor compliance including through inspections and following up on concerns raised by individuals with them. Local authorities enforce health and safety in workplaces, such as offices, shops, warehouses, and consumer services. They take action against any business who isn’t complying with their legal health and safety obligations, including providing guidance and issuing enforcement notices to require them to take the necessary action or taking tougher action like fines and jail sentences if they continue to not comply.

Utilities: Compensation

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of compensation available to the providers of electricity, gas and water when the supply of such services has been affected as a result of damage caused by third parties, such as interruptions caused by road works or agricultural machinery.

lord callanan: A specific assessment of this sort has not been carried out by Government, as far as can be established. Compensation in this type of circumstance is likely to be a civil matter between the relevant parties.

Department for Education

Children: Coronavirus

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the call coordinated by Action for Children, Barnardo’s, National Children’s Bureau, NSPCC and The Children’s Society of more than 150 children's organisations to put the needs of children at the centre of their COVID-19 recovery plans; and what steps they intend to take in response.

baroness berridge: Children have been and remain at the heart of our recovery planning. Supporting children and young people to recover from the COVID-19 outbreak means encouraging school attendance and helping them to catch up on lost learning, but also ensuring they are safe and well. We look forward to continuing our close work with children’s charities and benefitting from their insights and experience to inform our long-term recovery plans to support the continued safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people.Our guidance published on 2 July provides schools, colleges and nurseries with the details needed to plan for a full return, as well as reassuring parents about what to expect for their children. We know that school is a vital point of contact for public health and safeguarding services that are critical to the wellbeing of children and families. The guidance has been developed in close consultation with the sector and medical experts from Public Health England to ensure that both staff and students are as safe as possible.Pupils in England will also benefit from a £1 billion COVID-19 catch-up package to directly tackle the impact of lost teaching time over the 2020-21 academic year. This includes £650 million to be shared across state primary and secondary schools and a National Tutoring Programme, worth £350 million to increase access to high quality tuition for the most disadvantaged young people.Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have prioritised vulnerable children and young people’s attendance in early years, schools and colleges and supported local areas to improve attendance rates.As well as working in collaboration with children’s charities, we have also supported those that provide vital services that are helping vulnerable children and young people.In April, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out the £750 million COVID-19 funding for frontline charities. The Department for Education and the Home Office were allocated a total of £34.15 million specifically for vulnerable children’s charities. As part of this, on 10 June, the two departments launched the £7.6 million Vulnerable Children National Charities Strategic Relief Fund to provide support to national children’s charities operating in England and Wales which offer services to safeguard vulnerable children, and which have suffered financially owing to the impact of COVID-19. The strategic aim of this funding is to ensure that large charities can continue to sustain their existing services.As part of this funding, the department also announced £7.27 million for a consortium led by Barnardo’s, which will support their new See, Hear, Respond service supporting vulnerable children, young people and families affected by COVID-19. The department has also provided funding to other charities working with vulnerable children, including Grandparents Plus, Family Rights Group and FosterTalk. This adds to investment in the NSPCC’s Childline service, while some £10 million has already been committed to the Family Fund, helping families with children who have complex needs and disabilities through grants for equipment which makes their lives easier.As well as charities, we are supporting local authorities during this outbreak by providing a package of support totalling £4.3 billion to help meet the immediate COVID-19 related pressures, including in Children’s Social Care and in delivering services for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Children: Coronavirus

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to thecall coordinated by Action for Children, Barnardo’s, National Children’s Bureau, NSPCC and The Children’s Society of more than 150 children's organisations to put the needs of children at thecentre of their COVID-19 recovery plans, what steps they are taking to do so.

baroness berridge: Children have been and remain at the heart of our recovery planning. Supporting children and young people to recover from the COVID-19 outbreak means encouraging school attendance and helping them to catch up on lost learning, but also ensuring they are safe and well. We look forward to continuing our close work with children’s charities and benefitting from their insights and experience to inform our long-term recovery plans to support the continued safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people.Our guidance published on 2 July provides schools, colleges and nurseries with the details needed to plan for a full return, as well as reassuring parents about what to expect for their children. We know that school is a vital point of contact for public health and safeguarding services that are critical to the wellbeing of children and families. The guidance has been developed in close consultation with the sector and medical experts from Public Health England to ensure that both staff and students are as safe as possible.Pupils in England will also benefit from a £1 billion COVID-19 catch-up package to directly tackle the impact of lost teaching time over the 2020-21 academic year. This includes £650 million to be shared across state primary and secondary schools and a National Tutoring Programme, worth £350 million to increase access to high quality tuition for the most disadvantaged young people.Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have prioritised vulnerable children and young people’s attendance in early years, schools and colleges and supported local areas to improve attendance rates.As well as working in collaboration with children’s charities, we have also supported those that provide vital services that are helping vulnerable children and young people.In April, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out the £750 million COVID-19 funding for frontline charities. The Department for Education and the Home Office were allocated a total of £34.15 million specifically for vulnerable children’s charities. As part of this, on 10 June, the two departments launched the £7.6 million Vulnerable Children National Charities Strategic Relief Fund to provide support to national children’s charities operating in England and Wales which offer services to safeguard vulnerable children, and which have suffered financially owing to the impact of COVID-19. The strategic aim of this funding is to ensure that large charities can continue to sustain their existing services.As part of this funding, the department also announced £7.27 million for a consortium led by Barnardo’s, which will support their new See, Hear, Respond service supporting vulnerable children, young people and families affected by COVID-19. The department has also provided funding to other charities working with vulnerable children, including Grandparents Plus, Family Rights Group and FosterTalk. This adds to investment in the NSPCC’s Childline service, while some £10 million has already been committed to the Family Fund, helping families with children who have complex needs and disabilities through grants for equipment which makes their lives easier.As well as charities, we are supporting local authorities during this outbreak by providing a package of support totalling £4.3 billion to help meet the immediate COVID-19 related pressures, including in Children’s Social Care and in delivering services for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Children: Disability and Special Educational Needs

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to endorse the advice relating to children withspecial educational needs and disabilities outlined in the report by Stonewall An Introduction to Supporting LGBT Children and Young People: A guide for schools, colleges and settings, published in March; and what plans they have to issue their own guidance.

baroness berridge: Our ambition is for every child, no matter what challenges they face, to have access to a world-class education that sets them up for life. Schools and teachers are free to use their professional experience in how best to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.The department does not endorse guidance produced by external organisations. The department’s statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance states that all pupils should receive teaching on LGBT relationships during their school years. Secondary schools should include LGBT content in their teaching and primary schools are strongly encouraged to include families with same-sex parents when teaching about different types of family. Through these subjects, children will be taught about the importance of respectful relationships and the different types of loving and healthy relationships that exist.The department does not currently have plans to produce more guidance. However, we will ensure that the new programme of support for the new subjects, including training materials, an implementation guide and case studies, are inclusive to all pupils.

Universities: Coronavirus

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ‘no detriment’ policies adopted by some universities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord parkinson of whitley bay: Notwithstanding the disruption of the COVID-19 outbreak to the higher education sector, students deserve appropriate support and recognition for their hard work and dedication. Many universities and colleges have moved adeptly to develop new ways of delivering courses through online teaching and alternatives to their usual end-of-course exams.As higher education providers are autonomous institutions, they are responsible for determining the way their courses are taught, supervised, and assessed. The government expects providers to make all reasonable efforts for student achievement to be reliably assessed and for qualifications to be awarded appropriately. The Office for Students (OfS), the higher education regulator in England, has issued guidance to the sector that sets out expectations about providers’ approaches to teaching and assessment during this time.Some universities have put in place policies stating that students should not be awarded a degree classification below their level of academic performance prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. This is intended by providers as a safety net for students to ensure that they are not unfairly affected by these challenging circumstances.The guidance from the OfS is clear that standards must be maintained but that changes to assessments may be required in some circumstances. If changes are needed, students’ achievements must be ‘reliably assessed’. If a provider is absolutely confident that they already have enough evidence to make a reliable assessment of a student’s achievements, it will sometimes be appropriate to use that evidence to award and classify a degree award.More often, however, we expect that providers will need to continue with assessment and follow the OfS’s guidance on the practical next steps. It may not be appropriate to operate a ‘no detriment’ approach for all courses if, for example, essential pieces of assessment cannot be completed.The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has also published a series of guides and information to support providers to maintain academic standards and to support student achievement during the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes a paper published in April, attached, which provides an overview of what 'no detriment' policies aim to achieve. The paper also provides an overview of some of the measures that providers can put in place to ensure that the academic standards of awards remain robust while also recognising the challenging circumstances for students.We expect providers to develop solutions appropriate to each course, considering the needs of individual students. We also expect them to ensure that continuing and prospective students receive the clear, accurate, and timely information they need to make informed decisions. If students have concerns, there is a process in place. They should first raise their concerns with their university; if their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint. 



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The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords: Reform

baroness bakewell of hardington mandeville: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to any societal changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, what plans there are to establish a Select Committee to consider (1) the membership, and (2) the role, of the House of Lords.

lord mcfall of alcluith: There are no current plans for the appointment of a new committee to consider these matters. The Liaison Committee runs regular exercises to invite proposals from members for special inquiry committee topics, and I would encourage anyone with particular suggestions for new committee activity to make them in this context.The Lord Speaker’s committee on the Size of the House published its first report in October 2017, and has since published updates in 2018 and 2019. It is anticipated that this committee will reconvene soon to consider further the size of the membership of the House.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Sleeping Rough: Coronavirus

lord cashman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that LGBTQ+ friendly accommodation is made available to LGBTQ+ youth rough sleepers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord cashman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support LGBTQ+ youth who have been made homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord greenhalgh: We recognise that LGBTQ+ homelessness is an issue, particularly among young people and that LGBTQ+ people who find themselves homeless may have a different experience of homelessness due to their protected characteristics. My Department has provided funds to both charities and local authorities which will enable to them to support their communities, including LGBTQ+ people, whether they have been homeless, are at risk of homelessness or are rough sleeping.At the beginning of the pandemic, our priority was to bring vulnerable people inside so they could self-isolate and stop the virus spreading. We backed this with £3.2 million in emergency funding for local authorities to support vulnerable rough sleepers, and a further £3.7 billion to help councils to manage the impacts of COVID-19, including supporting homeless people. This may include people identifying as LGBTQ+.This has had a huge impact– as nearly 15,000 vulnerable people have been housed in emergency accommodation, including hotels, since the start of the COVID-19 emergency. On 24 June we announced that we are providing local authorities with a further £105 million to enable them to best support those placed into emergency accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic.On 14 May my Department also announced £6 million of emergency funding to provide relief for frontline homelessness charitable organisations who are directly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Following a successful bidding process, over 130 charities across England are set to benefit from the £6 million emergency fund. Successful bids included Stonewall Housing which provides housing advice and support for LGBTQ+ people whether they are homeless, at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping.On 2 May, we announced the Rough Sleeping Taskforce, which has one overriding objective: to ensure that as many people as possible who have been brought in off the streets during this pandemic do not return to the streets. Supporting the taskforce are our Homelessness Advice and Support Team, which includes dedicated youth homelessness advisor roles that have a commitment to work with local authorities to proactively promote positive joint working across housing authorities and children’s services, offering training, advice and support to all local authorities.

British Nationals Abroad: Hong Kong

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the financial, (2) the social, and (3) the logistical implications, of the arrival of British National (Overseas) passport holders from Hong Kong to the UK.

lord greenhalgh: The Government is working to understand the potential implications arising from British Nationals (Overseas) travelling to the UK from Hong Kong under the revised arrangements. Where this work meets the criteria of the new burdens doctrine on Local Government, it will include an assessment of financial and societal impact.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent estimatethey have made of the number of armed forces personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19.

baroness goldie: I refer the noble Lady to the answer given in the House of Commons to the hon. Member for Lewisham East (Janet Daby) to Question 904256.



904256 - Armed Forces; Coronavirus
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Armed Forces: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of the armed forces in tackling the outcomes of the COVID-19pandemic.

baroness goldie: Having plans and resources in place, coupled with effective military aid to civil authorities (MACA) mechanisms was key to delivering Defence's response in aid of Other Government Departments (OGDs). Due to the public's adherence to lockdown measures, and the ability of OGDs to maintain essential services, it was not necessary to deploy most of those personnel held at higher readiness. Defence remains committed to supporting the cross government COVID-19 response, along with delivering its critical outputs maintaining National Security.

Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review: Military Bases

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether visits to Armed Forces bases will be part of the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.

baroness goldie: The Integrated Review will cover all aspects of international policy from defence to diplomacy and development. Visits to Government locations, including Armed Forces bases, will be included when helpful for the conduct of the review, as they are for normal Government working. These visits are arranged on a case by case basis with the relevant Departments.

Marines

the earl of shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the future of the 3 Commando Brigadeof the Royal Marines.

the earl of shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the future of the amphibious capability of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

baroness goldie: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made clear during Defence oral questions in the House of Commons on Monday 6 July 2020, the size and shape of our Armed Forces should be dictated by the threat we face as a nation and our global ambition. The Integrated Review is not about cutting defence and I can assure you that this country will continue to have the world class Armed Forces that it needs and deserves. The Littoral Strike programme, announced by the Secretary of State for Defence in February 2019, is a complete transformation of the UK's amphibious force. The programme identifies 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines as the central fighting formation used to deliver Littoral Strike and the Future Commando Force. It is driven by the requirement to counter the threats we will face in the future and forms a pillar to the Royal Navy's Integrated Review offer.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Coronavirus

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether guidance to Universal Credit work coaches on the resumption of conditionality, including claimant commitment, includes an exemption in relation to COVID-19; and whether the guidance will be published.

baroness stedman-scott: To support our re-implementation of Claimant Commitments in July, we are issuing guidance to Work Coaches and Case Managers. We are managing this in a phased approach to deliver a tailored and effective service for our customers, recognising the individual and prevailing circumstances including COVID restrictions. We have not needed to issue new guidance on benefit sanctions. We trust and empower our job centre managers and Work Coaches to work with their customers appropriately.We regularly update the guidance and up-to-date information about the employment and benefits support available, including Universal Credit, Statutory Sick Pay, New style Jobseeker's Allowance, and Employment and Support Allowance, can be found here:www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/employment-and-benefits-support/.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Welfare Assistance Schemes

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 29 June (HL5692), when they intend to issue guidance to local authorities on the use of money for local welfare assistance schemes.

lord gardiner of kimble: We are allocating the funding according to the size of a local authority’s population and the level of deprivation. The exact amounts will be published on the GOV.UK website in due course. We issued guidance to local authorities on Friday 10 July, which is available to view at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-authority-emergency-assistance-grant-for-food-and-essential-supplies.

Agriculture: Subsidies

lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter sent to peers byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 29 June, how much money will be needed to fulfil their pledge to guarantee the current annual budget for financial support for farmers in every year of this Parliament.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK Government’s election manifesto guaranteed the current annual budget in every year of the new Parliament, giving significant certainty on funding for the coming years. In England this will enable the Government to provide financial support for the purposes set out in the Agriculture Bill. Funding for future years, including delivering the government’s manifesto commitment to guarantee the current annual budget to farmers in every year of the new Parliament, will be announced in due course.

Home Office

Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre: Coronavirus

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Report on short scrutiny visits to Immigration removal centres by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, published on 12 May,why nine detainees were released from the Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre withouta confirmed address to go to during the COVID-19pandemic.

baroness williams of trafford: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 14 July 2020.The correct answer should have been:

We do not comment on individual cases.With regard to support provided to foreign nationals released from detention during the current pandemic I refer the Right Honourable Lord to my answer of 27 May 2020 which can be found at:https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2Clords&uin=HL4210We do not comment on individual cases. With regard to support provided to foreign nationals released from detention during the current pandemic I refer the Noble Lord to my answer of 27 May 2020 which can be found at: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2Clords&uin=HL4210

baroness williams of trafford: We do not comment on individual cases.With regard to support provided to foreign nationals released from detention during the current pandemic I refer the Right Honourable Lord to my answer of 27 May 2020 which can be found at:https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2Clords&uin=HL4210We do not comment on individual cases. With regard to support provided to foreign nationals released from detention during the current pandemic I refer the Noble Lord to my answer of 27 May 2020 which can be found at: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2Clords&uin=HL4210

Immigration

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, and with whom, about the possibility of devolving immigration issues to the devolved administrations.

baroness williams of trafford: Immigration is, and will remain, a reserved matter.This Government will introduce a points-based immigration system that works in the interests of the whole United Kingdom, including the devolved nations.For a devolved immigration system to function, we would have to have internal borders between different parts of the United Kingdom. This would be wholly unacceptable

Asylum: Finance

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect to complete the annualreview of cash allowances paid to asylum seekers by the end of July;and if not, when they expect to completethe review.

baroness williams of trafford: We have been reviewing the level of the cash allowances provided to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, as we do each year to ensure that they remain capable of meeting their essential living needs (the legal test). As a result of this work, the standard allowance has been raised to £39.60 per week from £37.75 per week, an increase of around 5%. This increase is significantly higher than the current general rate of inflation, which Office for National Statistics data shows was only 0.5% in the 12 months period to May. Confirmatory work, including taking account of possible Covid 19 impacts, is ongoing and the result of the full review will be published indue course. The UK has a generous record in supporting asylum seekers. Last year, we made around 20,000 grants of asylum or protection (one of the higher figures in Europe), as well as offered protection to 3,000 Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children – the highest number of any country in Europe. In addition, we have directly resettled around 20,000 people from the most dangerous areas of the world (especially Syrians) in the UK over the last 5 years. Finally, we spend around £14 billion per year in Overseas Aid, helping millions of people around the world. This is the highest amount of any country in Europe and we are the only G7 country to meet the 0.7% of GNI Overseas Aid target.

Firearms: Licensing

the earl of shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were prosecuted for making a false declaration abouta medical condition on applications for grant renewal of (1) shotgun, and (2) firearms, certificatesin the most recent three years for which records are available.

baroness williams of trafford: Statistics relating to prosecutions for making a false statement in order to procure the grant or renewal of a firearm or shotgun certificate are available within the publication: Principal offence proceedings and outcomes by Home Office offence code data tool. The relevant offence codes are 11559 and 11560. In summary, the figures for the last three years show that in 2019 there were 14 prosecutions and 8 convictions; in 2018 there were 2 prosecutions and 0 convictions; and in 2017 there were 15 prosecutions and 5 convictions. Data relating to prosecutions specifically in relation to a false declaration relating to medical conditions is not available centrally. Firearms licensing is an operational matter for police forces. The police carry out a number of checks to ensure that those in possession of firearms do not pose a danger to public safety, including in relation to medical suitability. As part of this process, GPs are asked to provide information about whether the applicant has suffered from a number of relevant medical conditions, prior to the issuing of the firearm or shotgun certificate by the police

Firearms: Licensing

the earl of shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many general practitionersin the last three years for which records are available have placed markers on the medical notes of shotgun and firearm certificate-holders in compliance with Home Office guidance.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government does not require general practitioners to report on whether and how they place a marker on the medical records of shotgun or firearm certificate holders. However, the Government is supportive of the use of these markers as a means of helping to ensure firearms licences are held safely. The Home Office is actively working with the medical profession and the Department of Health and Social Care to see what more can be done to promote the effective and consistent use of medical markers.

Firearms: Licensing

the earl of shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government at which meetings held by Ministers and officials with representatives of the British Medical Association since May 2016 the subject of medical involvement in firearms licensing was discussed.

baroness williams of trafford: Home Office Ministers and officials have regular meetings with stakeholders as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings. But I can confirm that we have discussed the involvement of medical professionals in firearms licensing procedures with representatives of the medical profession, including the British Medical Association, and we will continue to do so, as appropriate.

Asylum: Finance

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 30 June (HL Deb, col 574), what assessment they have made of the impact of the “no recourse to public funds” policy on the prevalence of poverty among people without residential status and the dependence on charities for food, housing and survival.

baroness williams of trafford: The NRPF policy is based on the principle that migrants coming to the UK are expected to maintain and support themselves and their families without posing a burden on the UK’s welfare system. Access to benefits and other publicly funded services reflects a migrant’s lawful status and the strength of their connections to the UK. That is why access to public funds is normally tied to indefinite leave to remain.Those without lawful status in the UK are expected to take steps to resolve their situation, either by regularising their stay, or by leaving the UK. Help is available for people who wish to leave voluntarily. However, we recognise the unique challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic presents. That is why we have provided more than £3.2 billion of funding to local authorities in England and now a further £500 million to respond to spending pressures they are facing. The Government has also provided additional funding for the devolved administrations under the Barnett formula as part of the wider government response. Funding provided to local authorities under the Covid-19 emergency response will be paid through a grant that is not ring-fenced, recognising that local authorities are best placed to decide how this funding is spent. Local authorities may provide basic safety net support, if it is established that there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example, where there are community care needs, migrants with serious health problems or family cases where the wellbeing of a child is in question. In addition, the Chancellor announced an additional £750m package of support for charities across the UK to ensure they can continue their vital work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Asylum

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 30 June (HL Deb, col 574), how many applications from asylum seekers for refugee status are currently being assessed; how long it takes on average to resolve each application; how many applicants are currently neither told that they will be (1) removed, or (2) allowed to stay; and what considerationthey have given (a) to holding an amnesty to regularise the position of those who have been in the UK for more than five years without legal status, and (b) to the potential benefits of enabling such people to live, study, work, contribute, and pay taxes, in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office is unable to state how many applications from asylum seekers for refugee status are currently being assessed or how long it takes on average to resolve each application.The Home Office does however publish data on the number of asylum applications awaiting an initial decision by duration. This data can be found at Asy_04, of the published Immigration Statistics March 2020 which indicate that, as at March 2020, the total number awaiting an initial decision was 51,906.An extract from the published data can be found below showing the total numbers awaiting an initial decision broken down by more or less than 6 months. Mar 2020Awaiting initial decision51,906Less than 6 months20,390More than 6 months31,516 All asylum claimants are notified in writing of the outcome of the decision on their claim. If a claim is refused, a full explanation is provided of the reasons along with the relevant appeal rights, plus the necessary removal notice notifications advising them of their responsibility to leave the UK voluntarily and the consequences of them remaining in the UK illegally. Those applicants who are granted status are advised of their rights and benefits to which they are entitled to in the UK. There are no plans for the Government to hold an amnesty to regularise the position of those who have been in the UK for more than five years without legal status. The Immigration Rules already provide for undocumented migrants who are in the UK, who have not broken the law except for remaining here without lawful immigration status, to regularise their status. For those who do not meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules, there is provision for a grant of leave where there are exceptional circumstances or compelling compassionate grounds which would mean refusal would result in unjustifiably harsh consequences for the applicant. The Government is committed to a fair and humane immigration policy which welcomes and celebrates people here lawfully, but which tackles immigration offending and protects tax-payer funded public services. In common with other comparable countries, the UK has in place a framework of laws, policies and administrative arrangements ensuring access to work, benefits and services is permitted only for those with the right to access them. It protects the taxpayer and is based on principles of fairness. It is expected that those who do not have a legal right to be in the UK should leave.

Cabinet Office

National Security Council

lord browne of ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 6 July (HL5987) and the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 8 July (HL5985), why the gov.uk website for the National Security Council states that there are sub-committees of the Council on (1) threats, hazards, resilience and contingencies, (2) nuclear deterrence and security, (3) matters relating to implementing theStrategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) and National Security Strategy(including cyber matters), and (4) cross-government funds.

lord true: The current list on GOV.UK is up to date.

Treasury

Customs

lord hay of ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure consistency in customs regulationsthroughoutthe UK.

lord agnew of oulton: The Withdrawal Agreement and Northern Ireland Protocol brings the whole of the UK out of the EU Customs Union at the end of the transition period. Northern Ireland remains part of the UK’s customs territory and as such businesses in Northern Ireland will benefit from future trade deals negotiated by the UK. Northern Ireland traders will also benefit from unfettered access to the rest of the UK’s internal market. This will be delivered through legislation by the end of the year. Any processes on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be kept to an absolute minimum to protect the integrity and smooth functioning of the UK internal market.

Employment: Government Assistance

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures will be in place by 1 August to support those who are shielding from COVID-19 who cannot return to work because their workplace is not safe, but who cannot be furloughed as the deadline has passed and who will not be able to claim Statutory Sick Pay under the Government's plans to end the shielding programme on 31 July.

lord agnew of oulton: On 22 June, the Prime Minister announced that the Government will relax the current public health guidance for those identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) to shield at home. This means from 1 August they will be able to return to work if they are unable to work from home, provided their workplace is COVID-safe. It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to another role if required. Where this is not possible, the CEV should be provided with the safest on-site roles that enable them to maintain social distancing from others. If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to an unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £8bn.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Pornography: Internet

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what research they have conducted on children’s access to pornographic content online; what plans they have to conduct research on such access; and whether they have monitored whether there has been any increased access to such material by children during the COVID-19 lockdown.

baroness barran: The government is committed to ensuring children are protected from accessing inappropriate content online. The British Board of Film Classification, while designated as the age verification regulator under the Digital Economy Act, commissioned research on children’s access to pornographic content online. The research, published in early 2020, explored young people’s interactions with, and attitudes towards, online pornography and age verification. We will continue to develop our evidence base on online harms ahead of the implementation of the new online harms regulatory framework. As a result of Covid-19 lockdown measures we expect more people, including children, to be spending more time online. Although it is too early to confidently analyse patterns from this period, there is universal concern about child online safety. We are working closely with technology companies, law enforcement and civil society to monitor trends, and to support users to understand and manage the risks and benefits of being online during this period.

Performing Arts: Coronavirus

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have provisional dates for the return of (1) socially distanced, and (2) non-socially distanced, indoor live performances.

baroness barran: We are committed to reopening creative businesses, including live entertainment venues, in line with the latest Government regulations and advice. The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport recently set out a five stage roadmap that the government will work through to get the performing arts and live entertainment sectors back up and running as soon as possible:Stage One - Rehearsal and training (no audiences)Stage Two - Performances for broadcast and recording purposesStage Three - Performances outdoors with an audience and pilots for indoor performances with a limited socially-distanced audienceStage Four - Performances allowed indoors and outdoors (but with a limited socially-distanced audience indoors)Stage Five - Performances allowed indoors / outdoors (with a fuller audience indoors)We moved to Stage Three on the 11th July. DCMS will work with sector representative bodies to select a number of pilots for indoor performances with a socially distanced audience, as we look to move into Stage Four.

Music: Coronavirus

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring forward sector-specific support for the commercial live music sector.

baroness barran: The Government appreciates that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many of DCMS’ sectors including the live commercial music sector, which is why we announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. The Government’s response has been one of the most generous and comprehensive in the world, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Bounceback Loan Scheme and business rates reliefs. The Government has adapted the welfare system so that the self-employed can access Universal Credit in full, to help people get quicker and more generous support when they need it most.In addition, on Sunday 5 July 2020, the Secretary of State announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors, including the live music sector. We will publish detailed guidance on eligibility as soon as possible in July.

Music: Coronavirus

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of jobs that will be lost in the live commercial music sector without further Government support.

baroness barran: The Government has not made such an assessment. However, the Government appreciates that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to the live commercial music sector, which is why we announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. In addition, on Sunday 5 July 2020, the Secretary of State announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors, including the live commercial music sector. To ensure we are assisting the live commercial music sector as effectively as possible, regular ministerially-chaired roundtables are held with business representative organisations as well as trade associations from across the sector.